Cool Hunting

These days, there's no shortage of people glorifying the rougher New York City of yesteryear. But if anyone needs proof of the grit and grime with a dash of wit, there's "Sometimes Overwhelming", the third book by photographer Arlene Gottfried. The native New Yorker documents her hometown in the 1970s and '80s, an era before rising prices and relative security forced out the more colorful citizenry. She captures these locals in their elemental form: at parades, city beaches, nightclubs, and anywhere people would drop their guards. Some might look at these images with a whiff of nostalgia, but others will be glad that it's confined to a book.

"Sometimes Overwhelming" is available from the powerHouse Books website or Amazon. You can peruse a few more photographs after the jump.